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Dropcam Pro Wi-Fi Review

Endless Video Surveillance Opportunities in One Camera

When I was younger, I never used to think about added security but that’s probably because I didn’t have much in the way of responsibilities (or valuables to protect). These days, it’s something I take very seriously and although there are lots of different ways you can make your home or office safer, I think video surveillance is one of the best. The main reasons for this is can you see when someone is up to no good.

I understand that not everyone has lots of spare cash, and the most complex CCTV systems can cost thousands. That’s why I made the decision to include the Dropcam Pro Wi-Fi Wireless Video Monitoring Camera to my website.

First and foremost, it’s not expensive so people who have the tightest of budgets can use this camera to help add more peace of mind when they’re not at home. Before I get going with the facts about this remote monitoring camera, I’d like to give you an idea of what it can be used for.

Purpose

It is just one camera so remember it will only record or give video images based on where you place it, and it’s really only meant for indoor use. You can use it to monitor various areas of the home though.

For example, say the kids let themselves into the house when you’re at work. You can place the Dropcam Pro in a discreet place so you can see what they’re up to. This helps ensure you know who it was that broke that favorite ornament or left footprints on the couch after jumping all over it! But, other than catching kids out when they’re getting up to no good, this camera will also help you to see that your children are safe and have arrived home from school OK.

This is just one example and the possibilities are endless. Do you want to find out why packages you’ve ordered mysteriously disappear? Would you like to be able to see that your baby is OK when they’re taking a nap? It could even be that you’re just curious about what your cat gets up to when you’re not home.

So now you know how versatile this remote monitoring camera is, let’s get on to what you can expect in terms of use and performance.

Set-Up

This couldn’t be easier, and the manufacturer doesn’t tell lies when they say this camera can be up and running in minutes. All you have to do is take the camera out of the box, connect via your Wi-Fi to an iOS mobile or PC, name your camera, set-up an account and you’re ready to view!

Note the word Wi-Fi here. This camera only works with this type of internet connection so if you have anything else maybe you should take a look at some of the other systems I have here for you. It is a dual band Wi-Fi camera and will support both 2.4 and 5GHz networks.

Something else to think about is the amount of bandwidth it will use. Many people have limitations with regards to this and you might find you reach your limit pretty quickly. When the camera is on, it will be streaming the whole time and if it’s on often you could end up using as much as 60GB per month.

Recording

This is another point I would like to clear up because some people appear to be a little confused about the recording capabilities.
If you want to save the footage you catch, you will have to subscribe for a Cloud Storage account which (although not expensive) will add to your monthly outgoings.

Picture Quality

I have to say, there isn’t anything negative here. I think Dropcam have done a great job considering the size of this camera. The lens is all glass and has a 130 degree field of view which is pretty good going for something this small.

It’s capable of both day and night vision, and when you view the images from your phone or tablet, you can tell the picture quality is something the manufacturer has really thought about. Plus, you can zoom in on anything in the field of vision for a closer look without losing the quality.

Other Features

The camera is fitted with 2-way audio so you can have conversations with your kids when you’re not at home.

Email alerts can be sent directly to you when motion or sound is detected, and what I think is great is that if you have something that recurs all the time, you can switch that particular alert off.

If you take the option of Cloud Storage you get up to 30 days or 720 hours worth of space.

Overall

When I researched this camera, I didn’t look at the price first and when I did (which I found on Amazon), I nearly fell off my chair! Personally for those of you who just want a way of knowing what’s going on when you’re not at home or the office, I think this remote camera is worth a look.

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